Heading into the Manchester derby, everyone was talking about Michael Carrick—what kind of football would he bring to Old Trafford? He’d only managed United for three games as an interim back in 2021, and honestly, there wasn’t much to learn from that short spell.

Pep Guardiola said it pretty bluntly before the match: “If you don’t have much info on the opponent, you just focus on your own team.” Sure, you could look at what Carrick did at Middlesbrough or even those few games at United, but Pep pointed out that tactics come down to the players you’ve actually got on the pitch. And these United players are nothing like the ones Carrick had at Boro.

If Guardiola tried to read too much into Carrick’s time in the northeast, he’d be barking up the wrong tree. Yes, United lined up in the same 4-2-3-1 shape Carrick used at Boro, but the actual style? Completely different.

At Middlesbrough, Carrick’s team always wanted the ball. Against City, United were happy to let their rivals dominate possession. They knew they could defend when it really mattered. United ended up with just 32% possession—something you’d never expect from a Carrick side.

But that’s exactly what United needed. After the match, Bernardo Silva even admitted it: United “took the game to where they are good.” It worked, and honestly, not many saw that coming.

Not long ago, United felt stuck with managers who refused to adapt. Ruben Amorim, for instance, would’ve stuck with his 3-4-2-1 until it either worked or he got the sack.

Carrick’s different. You can already see it in how he uses his players. Take Kobbie Mainoo: after Carrick got the job, people dug up his old comments about the youngster—how he’s more of an attacker, not really a holding midfielder, needs a bit more freedom, and probably shouldn’t play too close to the centre-backs.

With that in mind, you’d think Mainoo would play further forward. Yet, there he was, next to Casemiro in central midfield for the full 90 minutes—and it worked like a charm.

Having a coach who’s willing to tweak his ideas, even if he’s only there short-term, is a huge plus for United. It keeps them unpredictable, and that’s going to make life a lot harder for anyone who tries to plan against them.

Lisandro Martinez has thrown down the gauntlet to Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, inviting them over to his place for a proper face-to-face chat. Those two, both former United stars, didn’t exactly hold back in their criticism of Martinez ahead of his showdown with Erling Haaland. But after keeping Haaland quiet and helping United pull off a shock win over City, Martinez couldn’t resist a little jab: “No one says anything to your face,” he pointed out.

United stunned City at Old Trafford—nobody saw that coming. Martinez, fresh off his World Cup win, gave Scholes and Butt the chance to discuss things in person after making them eat their words with his performance. United, with Michael Carrick in temporary charge, turned in their most complete display of the season, shutting down Haaland and his partners and winning 2-0 (with three more goals ruled out for offside).

Before that match, Scholes and Butt were chatting on "The Good, The Bad & The Football" podcast. Butt joked that Haaland would “pick Martinez up and run with him” because of his size. Scholes went even further, saying City’s big No. 9 would “throw” the 5 ft 9 in Martinez “in the net” while adding to his incredible goal tally in 2025-26.

Didn’t happen. Martinez isn’t the type to back down from a physical battle. He’s not too fussed by what Scholes or Butt say, even with their reputations at Old Trafford. The 28-year-old prefers to let his game do the talking.

When reporters asked Martinez about those pre-match digs, he shot back, starting with Scholes: “Honestly, he can say whatever he wants. I told him already that if he wants to say something to me, he can come wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don’t care.

“And for me, I respect when they want to help the club, but it’s easy to talk on TV. When you see them face-to-face, nobody says a word. So I don’t really care what they say. I just focus on my performance and the team’s performance, and I give everything for this club until my last day.”

Scholes didn’t take long to respond after those comments started making the rounds online. He posted on Instagram: “Someone’s had a good game. Was really happy for you... Tea, no sugar, please.”

This season’s been rough for United, and Martinez had to wait until November 30 to make his first appearance after recovering from a serious ACL injury. The club already parted ways with Ruben Amorim after a string of poor results. With early exits from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, United are playing fewer matches than they have since before World War I.

Still, the win over City showed real fight, and Martinez believes the team can turn things around. He talked about rebuilding trust with the fans: “It’s about the connection. It’s about how we represent them on the pitch. If they see us fighting like that, they’re with us.

“Sometimes our performance isn’t the best, but they expect a good attitude from us—tackles, that Manchester United DNA, the blood. And I get it, because sometimes even we’re asking ourselves, ‘What are we doing here?’”

United’s win over City puts them right back in the hunt for the Premier League’s top four, just a point away. Champions League football next season is a must after missing out on Europe entirely this year. They’re still in the mix, planning to bring in a new permanent manager over the summer, but the next test is a big one: a trip to the Emirates to face league leaders Arsenal. Martinez, who sometimes wears the captain’s armband, will be out to lead by example again.